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3 Tips to Battle Insomnia during Pregnancy

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Many pregnant women complain about battling insomnia during their gestation and the numbers stack up. According to the American Pregnancy Association, approximately 78% of moms-to-be battle insomnia! The good news? We have some tips to help you get your zzzzz’s so you can enjoy the time leading up to the arrival of your little one.

Here are our 3 tips to battle insomnia during pregnancy:

Get moving

Being active helps battle insomnia. Take a Prenatal Physique class (available in NYC), try our Physique Prenatal online workout or go for a walk to get your endorphins flowing. This will give you more energy and leave you feeling happy, healthy and more in control of your body during a time of great change, when life naturally may become more sedentary.

Simply knowing that you’re being proactive about taking care of yourself will also calm your mind and give you reassurance that you are preparing yourself both physically and mentally for labor and delivery.

Just make sure you don’t work out too close to bedtime since that may give you a post-workout buzz that will leave you feeling alert.

Stretch it out

Back pain and discomfort in your hips can cause insomnia during pregnancy. In addition to a focused strengthening program, stretching your back and hip flexors will help ease you through this period by balancing out your body. The pigeon stretch is a great example. It will help release your lower back and hips and may relieve pressure from your sciatic nerve.

Other helpful exercises include: pelvic tucks to strengthen your pelvic floor, glutes, and hamstrings while stretching your lower back and kegel exercises to strengthen your pelvic floor. A strong pelvic floor will help combat incontinence which may cause insomnia by keeping you up in the middle of the night.

Take your time at dinner

Savor your food knowing that you are nourishing both yourself and your little one. Try to eat a healthy and balanced diet, and keep the pace leisurely so that heartburn doesn’t keep you tossing and turning. Also try not to eat dinner too close to bedtime (a full tummy can make you too energized — or too uncomfortable to sleep).

Sleep and rest are so important during pregnancy (and in your everyday life in general) so try to work towards a consistent sleep routine & stay relaxed when battling insomnia. Any anxiety about not sleeping will contribute to the problem and keep you watching the clock tick as it slowly makes its way towards your daybreak. After all, soon enough you will be getting lots of middle of the night cuddles, so in the meantime treat yourself to plenty of zzzzz’s.